Who Cares?
1 July 2022 - 1 July 2024
As the number of elderly people with dementia continues to grow, the demand for care increases, while the shortage of healthcare professionals remains a challenge. The use of smart technological innovations, such as an Intelligent Care Environment, offers a promising solution to significantly reduce workload in dementia care.
The project ‘Who Cares?’ focuses on developing an Intelligent Care Environment to support healthcare professionals in dementia care. This is done through an iterative research approach in three living labs, each increasing in complexity and realism. Using sensor technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI), the project develops Just-in-Time Adaptive Interventions (JITAI), which provide personalized support for caregivers in tasks such as assisting with eating and drinking.
Collaboration with care professionals and healthcare institutions is at the heart of this project, ensuring that both technological and user-friendly solutions are explored and improved.
“The Intelligent Care Environment provides a groundbreaking solution to enhance the quality of care while reducing the workload of healthcare professionals.”
How Does an Intelligent Care Environment Work?
An Intelligent Care Environment combines sensor technology and AI to provide personalized care. The system monitors and responds to care needs while always working in collaboration with healthcare professionals. This innovative approach is further developed in partnership with four healthcare organizations and three innovative SMEs.
Through the case study “Support for Eating and Drinking”, the project develops Just-in-Time Adaptive Interventions (JITAI). These interventions assist caregivers with specific tasks, such as encouraging seniors to eat. One example is the timely use of personalized sensory stimuli—such as sounds, lighting, or projections—to stimulate appetite. This reduces workload for care professionals while also improving the quality of care.
Focus on Care Professionals
Beyond developing AI-based solutions, the project emphasizes the interaction between care professionals and the Intelligent Care Environment. Key aspects include ease of use and accessibility, ensuring that both patients and caregivers experience greater autonomy.
The prototype of the Intelligent Care Environment is being developed and tested within care institutions, in close collaboration with care professionals. Their needs and feedback are integrated into the system, ensuring a seamless fit with real-world practice. This development process is carried out in three iterative phases, using living labs that progressively increase in **complexity
Team
- Somaya Ben Allouch
- Saskia Robben
- Michel Oey
- Monique Schaule Jullens